This invention relates to a new and improved composition for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, such as for animal husbandry, and for food processing and handling.
The requirements for cleaning and disinfecting compositions of these types are numerous, and involve good adhesion to a surface, not only for animal husbandry applications, where lengthy contact times improve cleaning and disinfectant results, but also for uses in areas such as food and food handling.
Also, it is desired to improve the phase stability and storage life capability, and to reduce obnoxious odors frequently associated with these compositions. Further, it is desired to provide biodegradable compositions, where feasible, and to ensure they are reasonably safe for general consumer use.
Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a cleaning and disinfecting composition which is effective in hard water, for example up to about 2,000 ppm and, at a high challenge of organic material, up to about 20%. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a composition operable over a wide pH range of for example 0-9, since this would produce suitable cleaning and disinfecting activity for numerous microorganisms.
Typical publications concerning these compositions include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,469,614; 4,654,374; 4,923,899; 4,983,635; 5,124,359; 5,252,606; 5,284,875; 5,322,856; 5,338,748; 5,344,838; and, French Patent 2,622,397. In addition to these patents, a brochure entitled, Cetylicide.sup.R" " published by Cetylite Industries, Inc., discloses germicidal compositions for use with medical equipment. Some problems concerning the compositions described in these publications is that they do not provide long term storage life, have a limited pH range capability, and do not appear effective at high levels of water hardness.
French Patent 2,622,397 describes ethoxylated fatty alcohol surfactants, but their corresponding commercial product TH4+.TM. contains a foam depressor which acts within about 5-10 minutes to reduce foam. Moreover, the only described use of the French patent is for corrosion prevention of metallic supports.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,338,748 and 5,344,838 also describe use of compositions where corrosion is a problem, but they omit a surfactant. Also, these two patents suggest employing deadly arsenic and cyanide salts, and other salts such as lead, chromium and selenium with less deadly, but nevertheless possessing dangerous properties at relatively high concentration levels. Consequently, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,338,748 and 5,344,838 do not appear suitable or intended for animal husbandry use including poultry ranching and/or egg processing, or associated with domestic farm animals, or exposure to humans.
By contrast, the present invention involves the food industry, especially for animal husbandry, for poultry facilities and transportation, and for egg processing including egg storage, candling, and handling.